Removing the GPU Shim???

[CdnAtWork]

I've got a 9800pro saw on another board that someone said "you MUST remove the Shim to get good contact between an aftermarket heatsink and the core".

Is this sound advice or does it just sound stupid? I just removed my card to check it out and that shim is on there pretty damn good. Also, i used a piece of paper and checked the height of the core vs the height of the shim and the core is actually a hair higher, so why would i remove the shim??

Thanks for any thoughts on this!!
Cdn

 

[thelanx]

I've heard opinions both ways. Just make sure if you decide to remove the shim that you are careful putting on the heatsink so that you don't crush the core.

 

[MDE]

If the core is above the shim don't worry about it.

 

[Creig]

They may have changed the shim thickness. On the 9500/9700 it was shown that the shim was higher than the core. The thick yellow TIM that ATI used would take up the gap between the sink and the core. If you opted for aftermarket cooling you'd have to remove the shim otherwise you wouldn't get good contact using a thin layer of thermal paste.

 

[McArra]

It was fixed in 9800series, so don't do it.

 

[CdnAtWork]

Once again you guys come through...thanks all!!

 

[high]

don't need to remove it on the 9800

 

[foofoo]

actually, i measured the shim on my newegg sapphire 9800pro, (last 2 months purchase) and the shim was 0.010" higher than the gpu core. this is a very thick layer of as that would be needed to bridge the gap. i fixed it by leaving the shim in place but machining down my arctic cooling silencer so that it had a relief where the shim was.
be sure to measure it. put a straight edge resting on the shim sides and over the gpu and if you see daylight between the straight edge and the gpu, you have to do something.
good luck.